West Seattle, Washington
24 Wednesday
One week ago tonight, three venues around West Seattle hosted three mini-concerts comprising the December edition of The Art of Music. The monthly music series now goes on break for a few months, and curator John Redenbaugh has words of gratitude, plus a video recap:
During 2025, The Art of Music co-presented, with local musician Sue Quigley, Muse Fest: The Power of Women’s Voices at 11 sites during the May West Seattle Art Walk and presented, on behalf of the West Seattle Junction Association, 28 Art of Music performances during Second Thursday West Seattle Art Walk evenings during June through December.
A special tribute page with recognition has been posted on the West Seattle Art Walk website where you can review a list of all of the 2025 performers, venues, and supporting sponsors – plus an opportunity to watch some of this year’s musicians in 12 videos produced by local videographer Mark Jaroslaw in support of Muse Fest and The Art of Music.
As John says on the tribute page, “We recognize and thank the performers for sharing their musical talents for the enjoyment of all in West Seattle.”
This is not going to be your standard student concert, promise the parents who are hoping for a good turnout for a first-of-its kind event – “Winter Sealthstice” – Thursday night. “It’s going to be beautiful and fun and all for a good cause!” enthuses Jaeney Hoene of the booster group Denny Sealth Performing Arts. It’s in our Event Calendar and Holiday Guide already, and here’s a preview from DSPA:
Chief Sealth International High School is presenting their first annual “Winter Sealthstice” concert! The concert features all music groups in the Performing Arts program: Jazz 1 and 2, Choir, Orchestra, and Symphonic Band. Along with separate performances, three pieces in the program will combine groups: Two that include Band, Orchestra, and Choir altogether!
Donations at the door will support our rapidly growing programs. This year, so many students joined Jazz Band that it has split into Jazz 1 and Jazz 2. Students will travel this year to the Disneyland Music Program and the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. Groups perform at events throughout the area (look for one at Nordstrom on 12/20!). But robust growth is not matched by robust performing-arts funding. We need community support to keep our teachers and students supported with uniforms, sheet music, instruments, and LOVE so that they can focus on the music!
Please join us to have a great time and to help grow the performing arts in our community! Happy Sealthstice!
CSIHS is at 2600 SW Thistle; the auditorium is on the southwest side of campus, west of the main parking lot.
The West Seattle Big Band plays music you can’t help but dance to. Some of the ~150 people at last night’s WSBB holiday concert at Grace Church proved that. We were there and would have been dancing too except that we had to mind our video camera! Here are eight of the songs played by the band, directed by Jim Edwards:
“Santa Claus Is Coming to Town”:
“Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”:
“Feliz Navidad”:
“Mele Kalikimaka”:
“All I Want for Christmas Is You”:
“In the Christmas Mood”:
“Big Band Christmas 2” (medley):
“Big Band Christmas 1” (medley):
(Vocalists were Jenaige Lane and Ryan Alvis.) The band is all-volunteer; any revenue gets donated to school-music programs.
P.S. You can find the other dozen-plus clips on the WSB YouTube channel. Even better, go see the West Seattle Big Band’s next holiday-season gig, Saturday (December 13)at the West Seattle Eagles HQ in The Junction (4426 California SW), with music at 7 pm after 5:30 pm dinner, as previewed here.
Before the lights, the music! Three groups performed mini-concerts on the stage in Junction Plaza Park before the Hometown Holidays Tree Lighting. We got there too late to catch the opening performance by the Endolyne Children’s Choir, but recorded video with the two others. The show-stopping moment was the last song in our first clip above from the West Seattle-based Met Singers – a lyrical twist on “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” to tell the tale of Mariners slugger Cal “Big Dumper” Raleigh. (Added – read the lyrics here!) Below is the second half of the Met Singers’ onstage caroling, starting with “Jingle Bells”:
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The choir, directed by Laurie de Leonne, was preceded by groups from the West Seattle School of Rock – they took short breaks between songs to re-form, so we recorded their songs one by one. Here are four – first, “Hazy Shade of Winter”:
“Santa’s Got a Brand-New Bag”:
“Merry Xmas Everybody”:
And “Super Rock Santa”:
One more report ahead from tonight’s event – the tree lighting!
Among the places you can find unique creations for gifts – or yourself – are local art studios with special events, as featured in our Holiday Guide.
RAIN CITY CLAY: Deb Schwartzkopf is hosting a weekend show/sale at her Rain City Clay at 4208 SW 100th in Arbor Heights. We stopped by during last night’s opening reception.
More than 80 artists are participating, with more than 3,000 handmade ceramic pots, ornaments, sculptures and more.
Open until 7 tonight.
WESTWOOD ART STUDIO: Not far away, Westwood Art Studio at 9042 31st SW is hosting a multi-artist show and sale this weekend and next. Studio owner is Damian Grava:
He also opened the studio for a reception last night.
They’re also open until 7 tonight.
VIVA TOUR: And you can studio-hop both days this weekend with a ferry ride to Vashon Island, The VIVA (Vashon Island Visual Artists) Holiday Art Studio Tour is happening until 5 pm today, 10 am-5 pm tomorrow and both days next weekend, and sponsoring WSB right now to help amplify the invitation. You’ll find a map at vivartists.com. 40 studios and galleries, more than 140 artists!
Earlier this week on Giving Tuesday, we mentioned half a dozen ways to support local school/youth groups. We have one more – the West Seattle High School music program launched a “direct drive” this week and asked us to tell you about it:
… You may not realize that our music program is nearly 100% funded by donations and fundraising. That means that any new instrument purchased for our school, any repairs, piano tuning, new music, coaching, financial aid, etc. are paid for with funds raised during our two annual fundraisers, the Direct Drive and our Big Band Dinner Dance. Our direct drive operates just like the public radio or PBS fundraisers, where we simply seek donations to help our program operate. We are not selling anything, students don’t need to carry order forms for wrapping paper or candy bars, we are just looking for donations. Here is how you can help:
-Consider making a tax-deductible donation to our music program. Our Friends of West Seattle Music and Drama boosters is a 501c3 organization. The donation link can be found on our FOWSMD website found here. There is no donation too small or too large!
-Do you work for a company that does matching donations? Double your impact!
-Help us spread the word about our campaign and fundraising goal!We happily take donations all year long, but we only do our fall fundraising campaign between the Thanksgiving holiday and our final Winter Concert on December 18th. See the attached document for more information. Thank you so much for your continued support and helping us towards our goal.
You can go here to donate.
(WSB video of Ashton performing at this year’s West Seattle Summer Fest)
A young singer/keyboardist who often busks at the West Seattle Farmers’ Market wasn’t there this past Sunday.
But there’s a good reason for that.
Nine-year-old Ashton Hart Wecker is getting ready for the biggest show of his young life – thousands of miles from his home in West Seattle. Ashton’s parents Noah and Angie explain:
He has been invited to perform in New York City as part of the global non-profit Kids Rock for Kids. This organization brings together talented young musicians from around the world to put on performances that empower kids while raising money for various charities.
Ashton will be among one of the youngest musicians performing and the only one representing the Pacific Northwest, sharing the stage with kids from across the U.S., the U.K., Ecuador, and Italy.
The show is this Saturday, December 6, at The Bitter End, which Ashton’s parents note is “the oldest rock venue in NYC.”
Ashton was spotlighted on WSB this past January, performing at West Seattle Nursery (WSB sponsor) as WSN presented a gift to Mode Music Studios (WSB sponsor) and Mode Music and Performing Arts, both of which he’s studied at.
Over the next four weeks, holiday music will ring out abundantly around West Seattle. One big event this weekend: The Byrd Ensemble‘s “Ceremony of Carols“ vocal concert, 8 pm Saturday (November 29) at Holy Rosary Catholic Church (42nd SW and SW Genesee) – here’s the summary:
Join the Byrd Ensemble for an English Christmas program featuring Benjamin Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols and Gustav Holst’s Four Old English Carols, with harpist Elizabeth Landis. Accompanying these classics are Christmas motets by Renaissance composers William Byrd and Thomas Tallis.
The Byrd Ensemble, under artistic director Markdavin Obenza, is sponsoring WSB right now and offering a 30 percent discount for tickets to Saturday’s concert if you use the code WSBLOG when you check out – go here.
(WSB photo: WSBLI foyer display)
By Anne Higuera
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
The Washington State Black Legacy Institute opened in the Admiral District early this year with an ambitious set of goals around community engagement and making information about local Black history easily accessible. With a fundraiser scheduled next week, we checked in with WSBLI’s historian and vice president, Roger Evans, to find out how 2025 has gone and what’s new in the coming year.
This year started with plans to keep the institute exhibits, at 2656 42nd Ave SW, open to the public for the full month of February, Black History Month. Evans says that month went well, and yielded valuable information about the high cost of staffing and heating the building (a city landmark that originally was a church) when open regularly. With a limited budget, they decided to open the building to tours only when asked, with some larger groups visiting through the Southwest Seattle Historical Society‘s Log House Museum. Regular hours are a goal for the future, and until then, “If someone calls us, we’ll do a tour,” he says, adding it will be “by appointment only until we can afford to do something more.”
In addition to welcoming visitors, WSBLI has been doing outreach to schools, community centers, and other locations, bringing informational banners and videotaped interviews. For visitors and school kids, they’ve printed trading-card-style postcards, with photos on one side and a short history on the other.
Each card features Black Washingtonians from the late 1800s and early 1900s, among them, pioneers, entrepreneurs, and newspaper publishers. Evans says there are 11 cards, so students in a classroom can swap them to learn about each of the featured people.
One of the primary goals of the institute is to gather information, digitize it, and make it available to the public, whether it be through tours, virtual reality exhibits, or videos and stories viewed online. Evans is most excited about a new internship program planned for 2026 that will move that goal forward: the Black Cultural Archivist and Storytellers Fellowship. Drawing on students from Seattle and nearby cities, the Fellowship will offer a 3-part educational program, covering skills in audio, video, and journalism. Participants will earn a stipend for ompletion of each 16-week after-school program, which will take place at WSBLI.
Evans says the Fellowship is designed to run for at least 3 years. “It kind of evolved from what we do daily, things that we do in fragments. We turned it into something that was tangible for journalists or ones who want to do preservation … and it will really engage the young folks.” Interns will learn the basics of journalism, podcasting and audio editing, and how to shoot and edit video. “We don’t really want them to write the story, we want them to pull the story out of the interviewee, the person who lived it.” Look for more information about the fellowship program on the WSBLI website in the coming months.
Of course, all of these efforts require funding in the form of grants or donations. WSBLI is planning to transition to nonprofit status in 2026. To date, they’ve accepted donations through their parent organization, The Seattle Griot Project, which in turn is fiscally sponsored by the nonprofit Shunpike, which is able to accept tax-deductible donations on their behalf.
In order to introduce donors to the fellowship program and other efforts, the Institute is opening its doors this Thursday, November 20, for an evening event, the “Legacy of Learning: Building Futures Together Fundraiser.” In between dinner and drinks, they’ll be sharing their achievements and asking for support for new projects. The event takes place from 6-8 pm at WSBLI (check here for ticket availability). For more information, call 206-730-8065 or email wsblacklegacyinstitute@gmail.com
Art is the word tomorrow night – it’ll be the second Thursday, which means West Seattle Art Walk night. Here’s the list of this quarter’s participating venues:
Venues with artist receptions – most of them 5 pm to 8 pm – are highlighted here. Among them:
DOUBLE FEATURE AT EASY STREET: This is a don’t-miss:
On Thu. Nov 13, Easy Street Records becomes a living archive. Two back-to-back events will celebrate the legacy of the PNW music scene, the power of underground community, and the art it still inspires.
5 PM – GRIEF, GRITS, & THE GITS: Melissa Meszaros, author of Song Over the Bones and Steve Moriarty, author of “Mia Zapata & The Gits” and certified Weirdo, share raw, personal stories that offer two perspectives on the same moment in time. Steve will then read the story he contributed to As Many Weirdos as Possible, a memory that will live on in our upcoming book featuring portraits and stories from the artists, misfits, and scene-shapers who defined the PNW music scene from 1985–1995.
7 PM – EASY, WEIRDO: As Many Weirdos As Possible debuts a short film “Easy, Weirdo” by Lake & Pine Design on the making of “The Corner of California & Alaska” miniature. Artist Rosetta Geek will be joined by Easy Street’s Matt Vaughan in a live convo hosted by photographer Lance Mercer.
The miniature will be on display all night. Come through!
Also of note:
COMPASS REAL ESTATE (4531 California SW): Photographer Eugene Lee, 5-8 pm reception, showing “After Work,” photographs the artist describes as “the quiet reach of nature within the city. Shot entirely in West Seattle parks, these photographs explore light, shape, and atmosphere—candid scenes of people winding down, finding stillness, and breathing in at the end of the day.”
CAPERS HOME (4525 California SW; WSB sponsor): Group show: Vanessa Lanza, Jimmy Ulvenes, and Gretchen Flickinger, 5 pm till late.
ALKI ARTS (6030 California SW): Group show: Steve Jensen, Christopher Mathie, David Harrison, Garreth Schuh and Vanessa Lanza, 5 pm-8 pm. “Northwest Perspectives.”
Also Thursday night, November’s lineup for The Art of Music, with three free mini-concerts, all 6-7:45 pm as listed on the poster:
Read more about the artists here. Then make plans to get out tomorrow night!
(Dress-rehearsal photos by teacher Daniel Wiener)
Arthur Miller‘s play “The Crucible” is 72 years old, and as relevant now as when he wrote it in 1953. It’s the latest student theater production at West Seattle High School, opening this Thursday – here’s the announcement:
We would like to invite you to West Seattle High School’s production of “The Crucible,” written by Arthur Miller and directed by Allison Irvine.
This play, written in 1953 as an “act of desperation” against the rise of McCarthyism and anti-Communist fears in the United States, tells a fictionalized story of the Salem Witch Trials. Throughout it we see the dangers inherent in a theocratic society where isolation and harsh expectations break down trust between neighbors. The show reminds us of the necessity of standing up for the civil rights of ourselves and others and refusing to go along with a crowd that demands bloodshed and revenge. Our students have been incredibly devoted to the hard work of this piece for the past two months and we are excited to share it with the community!
“The Crucible” runs November 13-15 & 20-22 at the West Seattle High School theater. All performances begin at 7:30 pm. Production information and ticket info are available at wsmusicanddrama.org
WSHS is at 3000 California SW; the theater entrance is closest to the south-end school entrance off the parking lot.
In the coming holiday season, the Endolyne Children’s Choir will be busy with performances. But as a nonprofit, they need to raise money to keep offering singing opportunities to local youth. You can support that, and have a great time, this Wednesday at the Admiral Theater, when the choir presents a benefit screening of “Wicked,” the singalong edition. In case you haven’t already seen it in the WSB Event Calendar, here’s the full announcement:
The Endolyne Children’s Choir invites the community to step into Oz for a special Wicked Sing-Along fundraiser on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, at 5:30 pm at the Historic Admiral Theatre in West Seattle.
This one-night-only event gives audiences the chance to belt out their favorite songs from Wicked with on-screen lyrics, dress in Emerald City style, and experience the joy of a full hall of voices singing together. Be sure to enter the raffle for a chance to win magical prizes!
The sing-along also serves as the perfect lead-up to the highly anticipated release of Wicked: For Good, opening nationwide — and at the Admiral Theatre — on Friday, November 21, 2025.
All proceeds from the evening support the Endolyne Children’s Choir, helping them provide music education and performance opportunities for young singers across West Seattle. Enjoy the magic of Wicked, while supporting the next generation of musicians.
Get your ticket(s) in advance online before they magically disappear … go here. (P.S. If you somehow haven’t been to The Admiral, it’s at 2343 California SW.)
(WSB video and photos)
Marachi Estrellas de México played outside All the Best Pet Care during today’s first-ever West Seattle Junction Association-organized Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) celebration in the “Lower Junction,” the business block mostly along Fauntleroy Way between Alaska and Edmunds. A centerpiece of Dia de los Muertos observances is an “ofrenda” to honor loved ones who’ve passed to the world beyond, and All the Best hosted a pet ofrenda:
Another tradition is “calaveras” face painting, to transform your face into a skull, and that was happening at Orangetheory Fitness:
Jayda modeled hers for our photographer:
Our area has two more Dia de los Muertos events tomorrow – a 10 am-3 pm festival at Holy Family, and a 5 pm candlelight service at Our Lady of Guadalupe.
(West Side Presbyterian Church photo, 2024)
It’s almost November, and the holiday event listings are jingling in already. These require some rehearsing, so we’re publishing them now – two opportunities to sing “Messiah” this season. First, from West Side Presbyterian Church, which is starting rehearsals soon:
The choir of West Side Presbyterian Church will be singing Christmas sections of the Messiah on December 7, and is welcoming singers of any age in our community to join us. The choir sings in the beautiful sanctuary space at WSPC, and will be joined by soloists and members from the Northwest Symphony Orchestra for this Messiah. For more information, please reach out to Music Director Anthony Spain at anthonys@wspc.org
Second, a two-part invite from St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church – first, for “Messiah” soloists:
St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church seeks soloists for its Messiah Sing-Along. This occasion will include all soprano, alto, tenor, and bass arias and recitatives — and alternative voicings — from Part I (as well as “I know that my redeemer liveth”). As a community sing-along, no remuneration is offered.
Auditions at St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church
3050 California Ave SW
Sunday, November 9, 2:00-4:00 PMChoral Rehearsal Information (Please be available for at least one)
St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church
3050 California Ave SW
Monday, November 3 (6:30-8:00)
Sunday, November 9 (4:30-6:00)
Tuesday, November 18 (6:30-8:00)
To audition, please contact Dr. Thomas Aláan at thomas@sjbwestseattle.org to schedule an audition. A resume or a note on performance experience is optional. Please prepare a selection that showcases your voice—preferably, something by Handel, another Baroque composer, or a song with melismas (“runs”). A collaborative pianist will be on hand to play with you, or you may bring your own pianist. If you’re not available at this time, you can arrange with Thomas separately (though no collaborative pianist will be available).
The SJB sing-along date will be 7 pm November 21.
Haven’t finalized your Halloween costume yet? Make – or decorate – one at a Youngstown Cultural Arts Center workshop tomorrow (Wednesday, October 29)! Claire from DNDA sent word of the fun – and sustainable! – event:
This Wednesday, October 29th from 5 pm – 7 pm, DNDA’s ArtPlus team will be hosting a free community workshop called “Space-2-Craft” at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. We will be providing demos on making costumes from upcycled materials (such as cardboard, paper, etc.), as well as providing a space for creatives of all skill-levels to access the materials and collaboration they need to fix or finish their own costumes. We have an Eventbrite page to sign up through, with more information, here.
We’re excited to bring people together around sustainable creativity — turning recycled materials into bold, community-made costumes while showcasing the ongoing opportunities at Youngstown and DNDA.
Haven’t been to Youngstown? It’s at 4408 Delridge Way SW.
For Brandi Carlile, launching “Returning to Myself” meant returning to a familiar, beloved venue … Easy Street Records. That’s where she chose to perform on release day for her new album, a special show for those buying “Returning to Myself” through Easy Street, a show that maxed out shortly after the surprise announcement earlier this week. Then those who got a spot lined up around the historic Hamm Building – here’s how it looked two hours before showtime:
(Photo sent by Hayk)
Once the doors opened at 6, it was a full house of fans:
And more looking in from the street, until the “garage door” was partly opened:
Carlile not only sang the title track and first single from “Returning to Myself,” but also one of her most-loved songs, “The Story“:
And back to the new album, with “Church and State“:
Carlile last took to the Easy Street stage in a surprise appearance with her longtime band members the Hanseroth Twins eleven months ago. Meantime, Easy Street has several in-store shows most weeks – go here to see who’s next.
It’s not strictly a Halloween decoration … but the newest mural by West Seattle artist Desmond Hansen (whose nickname is “Graves“) certainly fits the season. Property owner John Bennett commissioned this for the east-facing side of his building on the northeast corner of California SW and SW Genesee (home to Itto’s Tapas and Salon 08, among other things), and sent us the photo. This is actually the second giant skeleton to decorate Bennett’s building; the other one also is up year-round.
Got a Halloween-season scene to share? We’re continuing to show them nightly – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
West Seattle has a sizable community of ukulele players! Every week we feature at least one local meetup in the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar. And recently we received this tribute to The Ukes, sent by Betsy Henry on behalf of Quail Park-West Seattle (4515 41st SW; WSB sponsor):
Seattle’s beloved and long-standing ukulele group, The Ukes, has been spreading music and joy for decades, and they have a special monthly tradition that deserves to be celebrated. Each month, The Ukes visit Quail Park of West Seattle, a senior living community, sharing their music and positivity with the residents. With casual membership that ranges from a dozen to two dozen, The Ukes pick songs based on a monthly theme, take song requests and even sing Happy Birthday for residents celebrating.
Founded in 1995 at the Senior Center of West Seattle (now the Center for Active Living), The Ukes started as a fun, community-driven initiative. Tony Joslin, the organizer, explains that the center provided practice space in exchange for letting their members sing along.
A special part of the group’s monthly visit to Quail Park is their connection with Paula Green, a longtime member who is now a resident at the senior living community. Paula continues to play with The Ukes during their visits, and her presence reminds everyone of the group’s deep community ties. The residents at Quail Park join in the fun, singing along, clapping, and dancing, turning each visit into a joyous and engaging experience for all.
These visits illustrate the importance of human connection and the impact of community music programs. The residents’ smiles, the music, and the vibrant atmosphere make for a touching and lively event that showcases the power of music to bring people together. The Ukes are uplifting the spirits of the Quail Park residents while sharing their love of music and community.
The second Thursday arrives early this month – that’s tomorrow night, and it brings the West Seattle Art Walk! Here’s the fall/winter quarter of venues for art and/or food/drink specials, from Alki to Morgan Junction:
Specific venues and artists are highlighted on this page of the West Seattle Art Walk website – see who and what will be featured at receptions tomorrow night (mostly 5 pm-8 pm), from Babs Fulton‘s animal collage at West Seattle Arcade on Alki Beach, to Dan Jacobs‘s imagery at Hawthorne Massage in North Admiral. Dan’s work is featured on this quarter’s Art Walk poster and other promotional material:
And tomorrow night at all three Junctions, you’ll find Art of Music mini-concerts between 6 and 7:45 pm. In Morgan Junction, Heather Ward sings at Whisky West – here’s a sample of her music:
At CAPERS (WSB sponsor) in The Junction, Terra Nova Duo performs; here’s our video from their Art of Music gig a year ago:
And at Otter on the Rocks (4210 SW Admiral Way in The Admiral District, you’ll see Guitar Gil – preview his music here:
Read more about all three here. (WSB is a community co-sponsor of the West Seattle Art Walk – we’ll see you out and about Thursday night!
For the next month, Southwest Library is alive with art! Today brought the opening reception for this year’s Southwest Artist Showcase, which the library has been hosting for more than 30 years, displaying art brought in by any and all community members interested in participating. Art of all sizes and by all ages!
That’s a crocheted robot by Ely Thomas; this is Scotti Smith‘s acrylic “Street Kitty”:
We talked with some of the artists, too; Sam Day, a founder of the Notorious Alki Swimmers, brought paintings envisioning two of his fellow swimmers as mermaids:
Gordon Miller‘s lightbox “Group Chat” started with a drawing and then was made using a laser cutter the West Seattle Tool Library used to have on hand, he told us:
Charlie Harris is showing work he made from what he describes as “scraps” – even part of an old coffee card:
There’s so much more to see, all around the library shelves, and you have all month (actually, through Nov. 2) to visit. Library days/hours are here. (Thanks to Southwest Library’s Bean Yogi for introducing us to some of the artists during our brief visit today – we hope to return later in the month to admire more of the art!)
Artist Mindi Katzman invites you to what you might call a “grand reopening”! Here’s what we received tonight:
My Little Free Art Gallery has been closed for a few weeks for some freshening up, but is now open again.
Anyone can drop off a small piece, either two- or three-dimensional (potters – think small seconds or firsts; painters – small pieces etc.)
This is for everyone and anyone. Take a piece, leave a piece, or both!!! But PLEASE, do not take the props (figures, easels, or bench).
It has been so wonderful to host this little gem, open since April 2021, and see people so delighted with it.
There will be a Little Free Opening with Little Free Snacks from 4 PM-5 PM, Saturday, October 4th.
The Little Free Art Gallery is in the Morgan Junction, 38th Avenue SW, between Morgan and Graham.
(WSB photos by Dave Gershgorn. Above, Huayin Performing Arts Group)
It’s a beautiful afternoon at the Seattle Chinese Garden on the north edge of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus on Puget Ridge, where the Mid-Autumn Festival continues until 5 pm.
Performances and demonstrations are happening all afternoon – above and below, Julian Leung demonstrated Tai Chi:
Arts and crafts too, including painting:
Admission and parking are free. The garden and college are at 6000 16th SW.
(Photo courtesy Clay Eals)
Both on the Seattle Now & Then website and in tomorrow’s Seattle Times Pacific NW magazine, West Seattle journalist/historian Clay Eals tells a mystery story. What you see in the photo above is part of it – one of more than 30 metal art panels telling the story of “The Evolution of Lighting.” They were owned and displayed by Seattle City Light and were supposed to be brought along when SCL moved into a new headquarters in the Seattle Municipal Tower downtown in 1996. But – they weren’t. Most of them have been found, but the whereabouts of a few remain a mystery. There are multiple West Seattle angles here – metal artist John W. Elliott made most of the panels in 1935 and worked from a studio in his West Seattle home on Gatewood Hill; 90 years later, all but three of the panels were discovered and acquired earlier this year by West Seattle collector Mike Shaughnessy. You can see the missing panels in Clay’s story; perhaps someone who reads it will solve the mystery (not just of the missing panels’ whereabouts but why the metal art wasn’t brought along in SCL’s HQ move)!
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